2020 World Press Freedom Index: ‘Georgian media pluralist, but still very polarised’
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The 2020 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders says that ‘Georgia’s media are pluralist but still very polarized,’ adding that the reforms of recent years have brought improvements in media ownership transparency and satellite TV pluralism,’ but owners still often call the shots on editorial content.’
Georgia has ranked 60th among 180 foreign countries in the survey which is the best result the country ever had.
The survey reviewed the situation of Rustavi 2 TV channel and Adjara TV.
In compliance with a European Court of Human Rights ruling, Rustavi 2, the main national opposition TV channel, was restored to a previous owner, resulting in its adoption of a pro-government editorial policy and in the resignation of most of its journalists. Two new pro-opposition TV channels emerged as a consequence of the conflict. Adjara TV, a regional public television channel, has meanwhile suffered from repeated pressure to support a particular party.
Reports Without Borders says that the survey shows that the coming decade will be “decisive for the future of journalism, with the Covid-19 pandemic highlighting and amplifying the many crises that threaten the right to freely reported, independent, diverse and reliable information”.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir says that he is concerned by recent developments in Adjara TV and Radio Public Broadcaster of Georgia, a state-funded media outlet in the autonomous region of Adjara in western Georgia, and about ‘reported management interference’ in the channel’s editorial policy.
Georgia comes in 60th of 180 countries in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index by the international, non-profit organisation Reporters Without Borders, which promotes and defends the freedom of information and the press.
International, non-profit organisation Reporters Without Borders, which promotes and defends freedom of information and the press, has upgraded Georgia’s freedom of press index by three points.
Freedom of the press in Georgia is improving, according to a report by international organisation Reporters without Borders.
The Communications Commission, a regulatory body in the broadcasting and electronic communications field, has dismissed allegations that the government’s proposed changes to the law on electronic communications are a threat to media freedom.
A study into how information is acquired by citizens of Georgia, as well as their attitudes to its sources, says the local information ecosystem is "rich and plural", however "many challenges" remain in the field.
Georgia has maintained its 60th spot out of 180 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), with the country's media landscape called "pluralist but not yet independent" by the organisation.
Georgia has lost positions and ranks 89th out of 180 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, the ranking promoting and defending the freedom of information and the press worldwide.